To set the frame I work on the sales side of an auto shop. All my sales people got there by being a HD first and promoted up. It means we're all wrench heads of some type. Modded WRXs, Integras, and Jeeps litter the employee parking lot.
So when I showed a picture of my progress of the carbon removal off my piston during headgasket replacement
"Oh cool, did they take a picture of that and send it to you?" He asked
"They?"
"You know, the shop doing your head gasket."
"I did that, on the driveway at my house."
"oh."
I just never realized how many of these cars of theirs were bought rather than built even when it seems they have the know how.
I feel a bit different.
neckromacr wrote:
I feel a bit different.
Based upon your avatar I'd have to agree.
don;t feel too bad.. aside from a couple of guys who build up and drag race mustangs.. I am the only person I know at work who even does their own maintance.. let alone rebuilds and modifies my cars
What's your process for the carbon removal?
bluesideup wrote:
What's your process for the carbon removal?
Good question. I was just thinking that myself.
in their defense, I do everything to all of my cars (including my complete triupmh GT6 frame-off resto, my autocross wrx, tons of work on an old Cherokee, and now a BMW e30 rallycrosser), but in all of those cars, I've never had reason to do any engine internal work. And I know very little about working on engine internals for that reason. Suspension stuff, brake stuff, electrical, transmission, diffs.....I can do all that, generally.....just not engines.
The spare M10 in my garage will be my first attempt at doing an engine rebuild this winter.....and I've been working on cars for 20+ years!
I was relieved to find out our new plant manager does his own oil changes! We can relate. 
It seemed especially wierd because I work in automotive repairs. I likened it to haveing an IT guys computer crawling with malware and calling up Geek Squad to fix it.
I used Seafoam to break up the carbon and a plastic bristled brush so it wouldn't score the surface and on a few really stubborn spots 1500 grit sandpaper. Always made sure to keep it wet with more Seafoam. It was real labor intensive, but its my first time doing this so I was trying to go the more cautious route.
The only problems I ran into were bristles eventually breaking down and had to make sure to dispose of them as soon as the fell off. Oh and bits of carbon falling off the edge of the piston, but a few crank turns by hand and a clean cloth to wipe them out after I was done to make sure I caught everything.
irish44j wrote:
in their defense, I do everything to all of my cars (including my complete triupmh GT6 frame-off resto, my autocross wrx, tons of work on an old Cherokee, and now a BMW e30 rallycrosser), but in all of those cars, I've never had reason to do any engine internal work. And I know very little about working on engine internals for that reason. Suspension stuff, brake stuff, electrical, transmission, diffs.....I can do all that, generally.....just not engines.
The spare M10 in my garage will be my first attempt at doing an engine rebuild this winter.....and I've been working on cars for 20+ years!
I am with you there. Aside from head gaskets and stuff that is easily unbolted.. I have never really been inside an engine to do any real work
I think I have a phobia regarding automatic transmissions. I have re built more motors than I can remember. Suspension, electrical or anything drive line no problem. But an auto trans scares the you know what out of me.
